https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6si7v
"For the last several weeks, as rumors of Wizards of the Coast’s new version of
the Open Game License began circulating among publishers and on social media,
gamers across the world have been asking what Paizo plans to do in light of
concerns regarding Wizards of the Coast’s rumored plan to de-authorize the
existing OGL 1.0(a). We have been awaiting further information, hoping that
Wizards would realize that, for more than 20 years, the OGL has been a mutually
beneficial license which should not–and cannot–be revoked. While we continue to
await an answer from Wizards, we strongly feel that Paizo can no longer delay
making our own feelings about the importance of Open Gaming a part of the
public discussion.
We believe that any interpretation that the OGL 1.0 or 1.0(a) were intended to
be revocable or able to be deauthorized is incorrect, and with good reason.
We were there.
Paizo owner Lisa Stevens and Paizo president Jim Butler were leaders on the
Dungeons & Dragons team at Wizards at the time. Brian Lewis, co-founder of
Azora Law, the intellectual property law firm that Paizo uses, was the attorney
at Wizards who came up with the legal framework for the OGL itself. Paizo has
also worked very closely on OGL-related issues with Ryan Dancey, the visionary
who conceived the OGL in the first place.
Paizo does not believe that the OGL 1.0a can be “deauthorized,” ever. While we
are prepared to argue that point in a court of law if need be, we don’t want to
have to do that, and we know that many of our fellow publishers are not in a
position to do so.
We have no interest whatsoever in Wizards’ new OGL. Instead, we have a plan
that we believe will irrevocably and unquestionably keep alive the spirit of
the Open Game License."
Via James House-Lantto.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
